Lewis Hamilton drove like a true champion to roar from last to fourth, then said: 'It was just like my karting days!'

Sebastian Vettel triumphed for the first time since the ­summer, but it was title-winner Hamilton’s sensational canter through the field that stole the show.

The Brit started from the pit lane, after his first competitive return to action since winning the championship in Mexico two weeks ago lasted less than two minutes, when he crashed out of qualifying on Saturday.

Hamilton finished an impressive fourth after starting off the grid (Image: Getty Images South America)

Sebastian Vettel claimed victory (Image: REUTERS)

After narrowly missing out on an unlikely place on the ­podium, the 32-year-old said: “It was fun. It was reminiscent of my karting days, when I’d start at the back, particularly in my first year or two.

“I messed up in qualifying and put myself in the worst position.

“My goal was really kind of just to redeem myself. I was trying to get back to third but just ran out of tyres at the end.”

Hamilton’s Mercedes team took advantage of his pit-lane start to strap on a new engine, and Hamilton took advantage of a chaotic first lap to progress six places in the opening ­exchanges.

He then began to pick off his remaining opponents one by one. His overtaking spot of choice was the left-handed first corner and, after only 10 laps, was up to ninth and in the points.

(Image: REUTERS)

Hamilton thought the race was "fun" (Image: REUTERS)

By lap 31, he even held the race lead briefly as Vettel (right), ­Valtteri Bottas, Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen all pitted for fresh tyres.

Hamilton began to light up the time sheets, posting fastest lap after fastest lap and, with 14 remaining, he had caught the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull. Hamilton, on the speedier supersoft tyre, sailed past the ­Dutchman at turn four, for fourth.

Remarkably, he was now less than 10 seconds behind leader Vettel, with Raikkonen five seconds up the road in the battle for third. Hamilton had the Finn in his sights, but his charge ran out of steam and he fell just short of capping a remarkable drive by passing the Ferrari driver for the final spot on the podium.